-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- `` How can Jon Stewart hire you to be ` The Daily Show '' s senior Muslim correspondent when you do n't even know how to pronounce Salaam Al-aikum ?! ''

This was the immediate reaction of Aasif Mandvi 's father after Aasif told him the news . His father then quickly followed up that comment with the admonition , `` If Jon Stewart asks you any questions about Islam , do n't say a word , tell him to call your mother , she knows everything . And do n't embarrass your entire family from here to Mumbai ... oh , and by the way , we are very proud of you , congratulations . ''

It 's not like Aasif did n't know anything about being a Muslim before he was hired by `` The Daily Show '' in 2006 . But he was n't that connected to his faith at the time . Something surprising happened , however , while working on the show for eight years . Jon Stewart made Aasif more Muslim-ish . In fact , Stewart did that to both of us .

We do n't mean in the religious sense . In fact , we wrote this article in a bar while drinking beer and eating bacon cheeseburger . -LRB- Okay , it 's an O'Doul 's ... and it 's turkey bacon , but you get the point . -RRB- For millions of Muslims , including both of us , we are connected more culturally than religiously to our faith .

It 's not like Jon Stewart intentionally wanted us to become more Muslim . Aasif did n't come to work one day and find Jon sitting in his office holding up the Quran , saying , `` Mandvi , its time you start boning up on your Islam . ''

No , it was much more organic . In Aasif 's case , covering Muslim topics for `` The Daily Show '' was the cause . You can read all about the experiences in hilarious detail in Aasif 's new book of personal essays titled , `` No Land 's Man . '' -LRB- And yes , that was a shameless plug for the book . -RRB-

For example , there was the time Aasif was sent to Murfreesboro , Tennessee , to cover a mosque controversy . There he encountered a woman opposed to the mosque who told him that , `` one in five Muslims were terrorists . '' Aasif , who at first tried to counter her argument with facts to no avail , finally responded , `` Well , in that case I ca n't understand what is taking us so long ! ''

Another time the show created a parody sitcom of `` The Cosby Show '' titled , `` The Q'usoby Show , '' about an All-American Muslim family . The reaction from one of the people at the test screening of mostly non-Muslim New Yorkers was that the show did n't seem believable enough . When Aasif asked how it could be more so , one person responded with , `` What if they had a terrorist uncle who lived in the basement with a goat ? ''

These Daily Show experiences `` radicalized '' Aasif , turning him into , as he calls himself in the book , `` the jihadist of irony . '' The more Aasif experienced hateful or simply ignorant comments about Islam , the more he felt compelled to counter the ignorance and bigotry with missiles of satire on behalf of a group of people who after 9/11 did not have the luxury of being both patriotic and critical of Islam at the same time : American Muslims .

In Dean 's case , Stewart agreed to be a part of the documentary he co-directed with Negin Farsad , `` The Muslims Are Coming ! '' This film uses comedy to counter anti-Muslim bigotry .

Stewart being in this film was a big deal . First , the last comedy film Jon had been in was `` Death to Smoochy . '' We are talking years ago . But more importantly , with Jon 's participation , the film was able to find the financing it needed . So over the next two years as the film was shot and edited , the sheer immersion in a Muslim-themed project increased Dean 's connection to Islam .

Of all the influences Stewart had on our `` conversion , '' the one that truly stands out occurred after death threats had been made against `` South Park '' creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone for depicting an animated version of the Prophet Mohammed on their show . Stewart called Aasif on the phone -- which was the first time Jon ever had called him -- and asked , `` How would you feel about talking about the issue on the show as Muslim ? Would you be okay with that ? ''

Aasif 's father 's words came immediately rushing back to him . Terrified , he thought for a moment and then asked Jon , `` Can I call my mother ? ''

Later that night , as Aasif was seated across from Stewart at `` The Daily Show '' desk waiting for the program to begin , Stewart leaned over and said to Aasif , `` Thanks for doing this , I know you were hesitant . ''

Aasif responded , `` It 's just that I 'm not the best Muslim and I ca n't speak for all of Islam . ''

As the show 's theme music began to play , Jon whispered to Aasif , `` I know . But right now you 're all we 've got . ''

Sometimes being all `` we 've got '' is all you need . And sometimes being all `` we 've got '' pushes you , even subtly , to be better at it . That is what Stewart did to us . So today we both have Stewart to thank , at least in part , for being able to say that we are now more Muslim-ish than ever !

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Aasif Mandvi , Dean Obeidallah : Jon Stewart made us more connected to our faith

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Getting hateful comments about Islam made Mandvi want to fight ignorance and bigotry

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Mandvi , Obeidallah : The connection was more to our culture rather than religion

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They use humor and irony to help people understand what it means to be a Muslim